Reading Heritage Unit (NS 1067)

This post was originally written on August 31, 2021

On August 31, 2021, I discovered an unusual train movement through a Facebook group which resulted in a successful train chase and the capture of several pictures.

NS 1067 Reading Heritage Unit taken 8/31/21 by Rocky Jackson North of Hamilton, Ohio

The Personal Connection to this Unit

My grandmother lived in a little town in Pennsylvania. The nearest railroad station to her was a Reading station in Pennsburg. She used to take the train from there into Philadelphia to go to college.

When Norfolk Southern announced their heritage unit program I was ecstatic like most railfans and became even more excited when I saw that they were going to pay tribute to the Reading. At the time, I lived in Texas. Upon moving to Ohio, I have hoped to get this unit. However, every time it was in my area I either learned about it after it had already past or I was at work and unable to try to capture it. All until today.

The Notice Goes Out

I am a member of several different railfan groups including some that discuss train movements in my area. I had just gotten home from having an early dinner and was checking Facebook when I discovered a post that the Reading Unit was passing Winton Place (north of Cincinnati) on its way to Chicago.

The Unusual Train Movement

All trains out of Cincinnati whether they are Norfolk Southern (headed to Muncie or Chicago) or CSX (headed to Toledo) utilize CSX trackage up to New River Junction (New Miami). Most trains headed to Cincinnati go south on Norfolk Southern track at Butler Street in Hamilton. However, the Facebook post said that the Reading unit was utilizing the Dayton District up to Vaughn. I did not know where this was located at. A couple of more railfans provided the answer for me that in Evandale there is a split where the New Castle district and the Dayton District come together. In essence, Norfolk Southern was utilizing their own single-track line from Vaughn to Butler Street northbound---the first time in a couple of years that this occurred as far as a couple of people were aware of.

Hamilton Help

Just as I'm getting to Hamilton, I could see intermodal cars on the overpass at Butler Street. I got up to the area and fortunately there was a railfan couple there. I checked with them, and they said it was my Reading unit that I was after.

The Chase is On

l headed northbound on US 127 following the Norfolk Southern tracks where they split with CSX at New River Junction. However, I got stuck at the crossing further north. I did get ahead of the train at Seven Mile, but I continued onward to Collinsville. I waited for the train there and was able to get it. Between there and Somerville I was able to get a couple more pictures. I was able to get to the cemetery in Somerville where I was able to get a couple of pictures.

The End of the Chase

Because of getting the shots at the cemetery I was not able to catch the train at Camden. I tried to get it in Eaton, but I saw only the tail end of the train. This was just as well as I'm not sure I could have gotten very clear pictures because just after I left Somerville the sky opened up and it poured. Overall, this was a most rewarding chase as I finally got what I refer to as my gram's heritage unit--the Reading.

The Pictures from Collinsville to Somerville

Pictures taken on Aug 31 2021 by Rocky Jackson between Collinsville and Somerville, Ohio

The Pictures at the Somerville Cemetery

Pictures taken on 8/31/21 by Rocky Jackson at Somerville, Ohio